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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28775370">Soulmates</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/firebird394/pseuds/firebird394'>firebird394</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Blacklist (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:35:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>716</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28775370</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/firebird394/pseuds/firebird394</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Red finally tells Liz the truth about how he feels.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elizabeth Keen/Raymond Reddington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Soulmates</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was just an idea that popped into my head, and I ran with it. I'd like to write a long fic with these two in the future, but I think I may wait to really find out the truth from the show writers. I'd hope, in the end, Red is honest with her about how he feels :) No matter what happens, they're soulmates. #LizzingtonForever</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>LIZ: If you aren’t my father then why do you care about me so much? Willing to risk your <em> life </em> for me? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: I told you that I had a family once. My daughter would have been about the same age as you... but I lost her. And then the night of the fire, I found you; helpless and afraid. I felt an obligation to protect you. You had shot your father, and your mother was… in such a state of despair that she wasn’t thinking straight. So I took you myself, out of the burning house. I wasn’t aware of what I was getting myself into at the time. I certainly didn’t care what became of it because in that moment, nothing else mattered but saving you. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: So what am I to you? Your daughter’s replacement? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: You were. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: Red, what does that mean? You need to be clear with me, please...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: I told you. When I pulled you out of that burning house, I felt an obligation. You were my daughter’s replacement, yes. But I no longer feel that obligation. It’s… something else. When I first saw you after so many years of hiding in the shadows, unable to raise you as my own, it was like I was sitting in front of a different woman. A beautiful, mature woman with… -trails off- It’s not something I can easily explain, Elizabeth. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: You have to explain. Or I’m walking out that door and moving on from this relationship - whatever this is. I can’t do it anymore - this - without the truth of how you feel about me. I’m tired, Red. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: I’m just as tired as you. You must understand I don’t expect you to reciprocate what I am feeling. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: What about drawing lines in the sand? With a breath of air, they disappear? What did you mean by that all those years ago? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: There are no lines that cannot be crossed. I learned that lesson many times, most especially when I surrendered to the FBI to see you again, Elizabeth. I couldn’t stay away, and you know why. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: Because of Tom. And now he’s dead because of you. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: Tom made his own choices, and knew what he was doing when he went after the bones. He was not worthy of being in your life. I’m sorry it ended the way it did, but it is for the best-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: For the best for who? For you? So you can replace Tom? Were you jealous of him? That I loved him the way I did? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: The only reason he was in your life was because of me. You know that. And I regret it deeply for the amount of suffering I have put you through because of it. I didn’t want you to stay in love with a man that I knew could not be trusted to take care of you the way you deserve. You deserve to live your fantasy, Lizzy. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: And you can give me that? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: I would do anything for you. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: Because you love me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: I do. In more ways than I could have ever imagined. I’m not proud of how things have progressed, but I will not discredit how far we have come - together. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: Red... Are you <em> in </em> love with me? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: You want the truth, but I’m not sure you’re ready to hear it. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>LIZ: Whether you tell me or not, our relationship will never be the same. And if you choose not to, I won’t allow this - our relationship - to progress any further.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>RED: You may not remember this because your memories were manipulated, and I deeply apologize for that, but when we were on the cargo ship, on the run together, I showed you polaris - the north star. I told you that you’re my way home. But the truth is, you are my home. The moment I saved you from the fire, I knew my fate was sealed. Our souls were... irrevocably intertwined. The universe is such a strange… entity. Immensely complex. Everything has a purpose, Elizabeth, even if we don’t understand how or why. You’re my purpose. My north star. My only reason for being. How could I not fall in love with you? </p>
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